The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-03-31
NESTS OF BIRDS.
Great Mechanical Skill Exhib-
tied in Building Them.
A Chapter On One of the Most Attractive
Branches of Natural Science.

DranoneS OF Natural Science.
The study of birds nests forms one of |
The most attractive branches of natural
science. Not only does it show the
manner in which our binds live, but to
great extent tho character of the birds |
themselves. 1t would hardly be sup
posed that by examining birds nest in
the hand much could be told concerning
the builder; yet let any one acquainted
with bird life be given a nest, and al
though he may never have seen it before.
he can tell with considerable accuracy
the general habits, manners and customs
of the owner and many other little points
that one would not suppose possible
from so ordinary an object.
Take for example the humming birds
nest. One would know at glance that
its owner was shy and retiring, prefer
ring concealment rather than publicity.
No other bird builds so dainty and deli
cate structure as this. 1t is composed
of the softest of vegetable down, held
together by countless wrappers of cob
webs and saddled on the branch near
the extremity. This much having been
accomplished, the ingenuity of the
architect is next taxed to guard against
discovery, which is done by covering the
entire outsile with coating of lie hens
gathered from some dead branch or from
the nearest fence, and also held in place
by cobwebs. The whole so nearly re-
sembles knot that unless betrayed by
the birds, one may search tree carefully
for hours without finding it, As will
be seen by a glance at the sectional view
OF one of the nests, great precaution is
taken to prevent the eggs from being
shaken out by the wind. Ga the inside
projects rim for quarter of an inch,
thus avoiding all ordinary danger. The
measurements Of the nest delincated arc:
Total diameter, one and quarter
inches; inside diameter, three quarters
of an inch; total height, one inch;
depth of nest, one-half inch.
In marked contrast to the nests of the
hummers is that of the wood thrush;
what careless, happy go-lucky sort of a
fellow he must be to throw together such
a combination of roots and dead leaves
and how careless as TO its position for
the safety Of the young! One finds them
in the fork formed by two tender sap
ings crossing each other, where mod
crate gale would separate them and bring
disaster and sorrow to happy home,
and then again on the top of fallen tree
trunk, where nothing could harm them.
Ono of the handso nest nests is built
by the yellow throated VIRGO, which in
one respect resembles those of the hum.
mers, being covered on the outside with
lichens and dark colored vegetable down
to conceal it. 1t is pendant from the
crotch of some branch to which it is at
tached by countless turns OF thread, cob
webs and long grasses, and so nearly
does it resemble the general color Of the
branch that it is next to impossible to
tind it.
An entirely different class of birds are
the ground builders, which include the
game birds. larks, buntings and many
of the sparrows. One would be surprised
to see the many variations resortcd to
in their nest construction. Many species
very closely related build their nests so
unlike that one would suppose their
owners to be of different families, while
others build so near alike and deposit
eggs so similar that unless the birds arc
seen and recognized the eggs will in al
most every case be doubtful indentity-
as for instance the song sparrow and
swamp song sparrow, whose nests and
eggs placed side by side would be in
distinguishablc to an expert, while those
of the bay winged and Savannah bunt-
ings are widely different. The former is
composed of fine grass neatly woven
together and lined with hair, and the
latter of short pieces of grass, perhaps
an inch and a half long, laid on top
of each other in hollow in the ground.
The nests of the wooicock and ruff ID
grouse furnish examples OF two widely
different birds building similarly; both
are composed entirely of matted, dead
leaves, and differ only in size. The
former bird places its nest almost any
where in the bushes, while the grouse
invariably builds un or some log, stump
or similar places. Both are so frail that
in many cases removal is attcnde with
more or less loss to its bulk, while ir
Others it cannot be accomplished.
The woodpcckcrs belong to class o
birds building entirely different from
any preceding which are known as the
woodchoppcrs. Dead OF partly decayed
trees are generally selected, in which tho
birds can easily dig, the depth of the
excavation varying with the species and
sometimes with the inclination of the
builder, although those of each specie a.
rule are uniform. All, however, follow
a general fixed law--namely, all cxca.
vate obliquely for short distance, ther
turn directly downward, gradually wild
ening toward the bottom. Here on the
fine chips of wood, with no attempt at a
nest, the eggs arc deposited. With
many the entrances arc as circular a.
though described with a pair of COM
passes, while in others very little pain:
are taken, this latter probably owing te
the approach of the time for the depoSs
iting of the first egg. Another plea fo
the study of nests Is that in many case,
it shows true thought as exercised by rh,